SANTA CLARA, Calif. - February 23, 2006 - Sequence Design has introduced the next generation of Columbus-AMS which is both a foundation for its RTL-to-silicon power-aware design tools, and the industry's premier RLC parasitic extraction tool for high-performance, analog/mixed-signal design. New features include high-performance reduction controls and mixed-mode modeling capabilities to save time and simplify wireless and high-frequency design tasks.

Dr. Vincent Geffroy designs RFICs at Acco (www.acco-ic.com), a well-known European fabless design company specializing in analog, RF, and microwave ICs. Acco has been using Columbus-AMS for all its RF work the past two years.

"These new features will make the tool more versatile and productive," Geffroy said. "We have an excellent relationship with Sequence and value their support and technology highly. Our designers have been particularly pleased by how smoothly Columbus-AMS fits within our Virtuoso/Calibre flow and Jazz PDKs (Process Design Kits), and consistently delivers the inductance modeling and accurate capacitance that we need." Highlights of the new Columbus-AMS:

• Mixed-mode parasitic models to shorten simulation times: Groups of nets are extracted with different models and reduction options so designers can focus on critical nets, improve performance, and reduce file size. For critical nets, fully coupled RLC models are used; for lower-frequency nets, Columbus reduces resistances smaller than a user-defined level - e.g., 1 Ohm - and power rails have C-only models.
• A completely redesigned GUI presents controls in an intuitive workflow order: The GUI presents separate tabs for setup, extraction options, netlisting options, and run control. The GUI also allows users to run Columbus locally or remotely, single-process or multi-process, and to submit and control extraction jobs using LSF or SunGrid.
• Saving and reloading of all settings for easy, accurate reuse or sharing of setups: Save/load allows for the creation of flexible, editable extraction templates, without resorting to replay scripts. CAD personnel can provide default setups for each process or project. Engineers can load these settings into the GUI, modify them, and save extraction "recipes" tuned for their designs.

"These new capabilities allow analog design pros to slash simulation runtimes without sacrificing simulation accuracy," said Dr. Rob Mathews, Sequence vice president of extraction products. "Designers get access to the full power of the tool without ever leaving the familiar Virtuoso environment."

The Columbus extraction product family is part of Sequence's high-performance, low-power design lineup which also includes PowerTheater, CoolPower, CoolCheck, and CoolTime, providing RTL and full-chip power analysis and optimization tuned to the design challenges facing engineers at 90nm and below. Columbus-AMS is fully integrated with Cadence's Analog Design Environment, and operates with Calibre, Diva and Assura LVS tools, for total flow compatibility in a familiar and trusted environment. More than 100 Sequence customers have achieved successful, high-performance tapeouts using Columbus-AMS extraction. For more information: Click here for Columbus product page.

About Sequence

Sequence Design accelerates the ability of SoC designers to bring high-performance, power-aware ICs quickly to market. Sequence's power and signal- integrity software solutions give customers the competitive advantage necessary to excel in aggressive technology markets, despite the demanding complexity and time-to-market issues of nanometer design. Sequence serves 9 of the top 10 semiconductor companies and over 130 customers worldwide, in application segments such as consumer, wireless, mobile computing, multimedia, cell phones, digital cameras, network-on-chip processors, and other power-sensitive markets. The company was named by Reed Electronics as one of the top 10 companies to watch in the electronics industry, and was recently selected as one of high-tech's Top 100 companies by siliconindia magazine. Sequence has worldwide development and field-service operations and is privately held. Please see sequencedesign.com.